Location

Kenya: Mombasa

Program Summary

Kenya is a land of intense beauty, epic landscapes, fascinating tribes and exuberant communities. Magnificent wildlife roam across vast Rift Valley plains, white sand beaches fringe the turquoise Indian Ocean and ancient tribal communities practice traditional customs little changed since the dawn of time. All these combine to provide a destination of unparalleled appeal and fascination.

* What Will I Be Doing?

You will be working in a vibrant and exciting local clinic with friendly doctors, nurses, laboratory and other staff. Your exact duties will depend on your previous experience, qualifications and medical background, and also whether you express any specific interests in being involved in any particular aspects of the work. It is important to remain open-minded and flexible, and also willing to be proactive in the search for work duties. With the right attitude and approach to the project, you are sure to enjoy a fantastic experience and take away unique memories.

The centre is well equipped ...

Program Summary

Kenya is a land of intense beauty, epic landscapes, fascinating tribes and exuberant communities. Magnificent wildlife roam across vast Rift Valley plains, white sand beaches fringe the turquoise Indian Ocean and ancient tribal communities practice traditional customs little changed since the dawn of time. All these combine to provide a destination of unparalleled appeal and fascination.

* What Will I Be Doing?

You will be working in a vibrant and exciting local clinic with friendly doctors, nurses, laboratory and other staff. Your exact duties will depend on your previous experience, qualifications and medical background, and also whether you express any specific interests in being involved in any particular aspects of the work. It is important to remain open-minded and flexible, and also willing to be proactive in the search for work duties. With the right attitude and approach to the project, you are sure to enjoy a fantastic experience and take away unique memories.

The centre is well equipped with a number of departments such as pediatrics, maternity, HIV and AIDS and a Comprehensive Care Centre. It deals with many types of medical procedures and conditions both routine and emergency, so for those of you with more experience you could find yourself helping with circumcisions, caesareans, biopsies or vasectomies. Alternatively you could be helping out-patients, assisting in the delivery of a baby or working in pharmacy or lab. So you should be comfortable with the sight of blood and be prepared to deal calmly with distressing situations.

The placement will enable you to observe, in detail, medical practices and give you the opportunity to take part in the day-to-day running of a Kenyan clinic. Those with determination, enthusiasm and aptitude may be able to assist the doctors, nurses and lab staff in their duties and gain hands-on experience of administering care to the Kenyan people.

Depending on your interests and experience, you could get involved with many different aspects of medicine such as urology, obstetrics and gynecology, astrology, pediatrics, eye testing, anti-natal clinics and even in the pharmacy. You may also be able to help implement national health screening/immunization programmes, support family planning objectives and provide health education to the local community by taking part in the monthly medical camp or medical outreach outreach work in the community itself. You could be dealing with anything from common complaints like headaches and toothaches to more serious ailments such as malaria and typhoid. You may have the opportunity to assist the doctors in taking vital measurements such as blood pressure and temperature as well as helping to dispense medication and assisting with nursing duties.

The most common complaints of patients are tropical diseases, however many patients have the secondary complication of HIV/AIDS which has a prevalence rate of up to 20% within the area. It is important that volunteers on this programme are caring and very flexible as the hospital needs are variable however those who are prepared to embrace this challenge will learn a great deal about the delivery of medical services to the local communities in Mombasa, whilst also enjoying a rewarding and enriching experience.

Program Highlights

* Discover this land of intense beauty
* Make lifelong friends
* Work in a vibrant local hospital

The first few days on the project were really good wasn't it apprehensive at the start of the family was so lovely and welcoming. I kept a journal of my time on the project which is lovely to look back on from time to time and remember the wonderful experience that I had. For me the most enjoyable part the project was working on the paediatric ward the kids were so happy and full of life. I recommend future volunteers go with an open mind and expect the unexpected. There is sometimes no hot water and sometimes there is no electricity but that is part of how people live out there so you have to embrace the experience, enjoy every moment of it, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.